CAGAYAN de City Health Office Epidemiologist Dr. Joselito Retuya Thursday, December 10, 2020, said they are just waiting for the proposal from the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the implementation of the accelerated community testing.
Retuya said they have to address the problem in the logistics, such as the equipment and manpower needed for the accelerated testing.
The DOH's Tuberculosis Reference Center (TBRC) is the only laboratory that provides free diagnostic tests in Northern Mindanao.
"The rest of the laboratories are with respective nila nga mga requirements in terms of monetary," Retuya said.
According to the city epidemiologist, the TBRC only conducts 1,000 tests per day.
He added if the accelerated community testing will be implemented, the number of Covid-positive cases is expected to rise.
"The more tests the better and, of course, when we do more testing, we also expect more positives to come out," Retuya said.
Acting City Health Officer Dr. Lorraine Nery, for her part, said there should be a plan and isolation or quarantine units should be prepared before the accelerated community testing will be implemented in the city.
"There should be a strategic plan for that and all aspects nga kinahanglanon nato ana dapat studyhan pud," Nery said.
"Daghan nga mga aspects ang atong i-consider that's why medyo nag buy pa og time ang Department of Health ug part of the Presidential Office nga nagpasimuno ana para i-iron out usa ang tanan nga mga plano before nato sya i-implement," she added.
On December 7, President Rodrigo Duterte directed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to craft a program that will provide free diagnostic testing to all Filipinos in the first or second quarter of 2021.